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Chapter 52: Still Trying
"You're interrupting my drink," Damon groaned as he answered his phone.
"Miss me?" Katherine sighed.
"Where are you?" Damon grumbled.
"Lurking outside your window, pining away," she replied.
"What do you want?" Damon sighed as he played with his wolf ring. He couldn't help but wonder if it had some special power.
"I'm homesick. What have I missed?" Katherine inquired.
"Well, Stefan's still Klaus' little prisoner and Elena still thinks she can save him. My girlfriend has been completely taken over by the Fenrir and is hanging with Klaus and Stefan. And no one's thought about you since you left," Damon answered.
"And what about you? I'm sure now that you've given up on your brother and your girlfriend, you're plotting some sort of way of moving in on his girlfriend," Katherine speculated.
"I didn't give up on them. I just don't know where they are right now," Damon grumbled.
"Hmm," Katherine hummed in thought.
"But you do. Are you trailing them?" Damon caught on instantly.
"A hybrid who wants me dead and his sidekicks who's are off the rails? I couldn't be further away," Katherine spat.
"Which means you know exactly where they are," Damon sat up in his bed, eager for an answer.
"All I know is that Klaus pitched a fit once his hybrids didn't work. Now he's looking for some answers," Katherine warned him.
"How do you know that?" Damon figured she had someone spying on them.
"Spend 500 years running, and there will be a few people along the way that are looking out for you," Katherine explained vaguely.
"Is that what you're doing? Looking out for my brother?" Damon rolled his eyes.
"Maybe, maybe not. I'm conflicted," Katherine replied, as wishy-washy as ever.
"Where are they?" Damon finally asked, wanting a straight answer.
Klaus, Stefan and Sakura got out of a car, reaching their destination, Chicago.
"Welcome back to Chicago, Stefan. Have you ever been here Sakura?" Klaus asked as he glanced over at her.
"Not that I recall," she replied as she took in her surroundings.
"What are we doing here?" Stefan sighed, not wanting to be there.
"I know how much you loved it here. Bringing back memories of the good old ripper days," Klaus smirked.
"Has a nice ring to it, ripper," Sakura laughed.
"Blacked out most of them. A lot of blood, a lot of partying. The details are all a blur," Stefan replied reluctantly.
"Well, that is a crying shame. The details are what makes it a legend," Klaus breathed in the Chicago air deeply, reminiscing, "Chicago was magical."
"Yeah, well, I'll take your word for it. Like I said, I don't remember most of it," Stefan said, sure he didn't really want to remember.
"Ready to get down to business, then?" Klaus jumped ahead.
"No fun first? How disappointing," Sakura sighed as she leant on Klaus, pouting.
"All in do time love," Klaus smiled at her.
"Why am I still with you? We had our fun, your hybrids failed. I mean, don't you want to move on?" Stefan complained.
"We're going to see my favorite witch. If anyone can help us with our hybrid problem, it's her," Klaus replied with a smile.
"Great, more travelling," Sakura rolled her eyes.
"Elena," Leilani said in a sing-song voice as she looked down at her sleeping.
"Rise and shine, sleepy head," Damon said.
"Aah! What are you doing?! Get out!" Elena growled and threw a pillow at them.
"You know you were dreaming about me. Explains the drool," Damon said and Leilani started laughing.
"Ugh. Oh, my God," Elena wiped away the drool and looked at her clock, "6:00 A.M. seriously? Do you really have nothing better to do at 6:00 A.M.? And Leilani, you went along with it?"
"Fine, don't come with me to bring Stefan home. See ya," Damon turned around.
"Wait. Wait, wait, wait. What? What are you talking about? Where is he?" he really got her attention.
"Windy city," Leilani answered.
"They're in Chicago?" they heard a familiar male voice from behind them.
"Darien, what are you doing here?" Leilani freaked out.
"She didn't tell you?" Darien asked, glancing between Damon and Leilani.
"Tell us what?" Damon glared at him.
"I've been staying here, trying to help look for them," Damon replied and saw Elena freaking out behind them, "Which I guess you weren't supposed to know."
"Anyways, how do you know?" Elena changed the subject.
"It came to me in a dream. I was naked. You would have loved it. Start packing," Damon bit his lip as he glanced at Darien, not sure what to think.
"Is he ok?" Elena inquired as she started to get ready, with Leilani's help.
"Well, let's just say he's not there to meet Oprah," Damon said as he opened on of Elena's drawers and pulled out a pair of underwear, "Ooh. Put these in the 'yes' pile." Leilani snatched the underwear and threw it back in the drawer, while frowning at Damon.
"I don't remember inviting you," Damon glanced at Darien in his rear-view mirror.
"I invited him," Elena stated from beside Darien.
"I hope this means you'll stick around," Leilani smiled back at Darien.
"I sure hope we find him, 'cause it would suck if the last memento of Stefan was that crappy, old necklace," Damon laughed.
Elena touched her necklace, "It's an antique, Damon. Like you."
Damon reached into the bottom of the back seat, without turning around, and grabbed a diary, "Read this. Paints a pretty little picture of Stefan's first experience in Chicago."
"I don't think that's a good idea," Leilani glared at Damon, but he just smiled back.
"It's Stefan's diary. I'm not going to invade his private thoughts," Elena refused.
"You need to be prepared for what you're about to see," Damon insisted.
"I've seen Stefan in his darkest periods. I can handle it," Elena was certain.
Damon opened the diary and started to read, "Here's one. March 12th, 1922."
"Damon, don't," Leilani warned and reached for the diary. Damon swerved the car slightly as he held the book away from her. He switched which hand the book was in, so Leilani had no chance of reaching it. "Damon!" Leilani whined.
Damon started to read, imitating Stefan's voice as he did so, "I've blacked out days. I wake up in strangers' blood, in places I don't recognize with women I don't remember." Damon glanced back at Elena, "Ahh! I'm shocked! Stefan's not a virgin?"
Elena elbowed Darien and pointed at the diary. Darien sighed and grabbed it from Damon, and handed it off to Elena. "Eyes on the road, grandma," Elena laughed.
"Fine. Back to my game. Tell me if you see a Florida plate," Damon sighed.
Klaus, Sakura and Stefan enter Gloria's Bar in Chicago. "Looks familiar, doesn't it?" Klaus said to Stefan.
"I can't believe this place is still here," Stefan eyed it.
"It does look like it's been here a while," Sakura commented.
"You've got to be kidding me," Gloria, the bar owner approached them.
Klaus smiled at her, "So a hybrid walks into a bar, says to the bartender..."
"Stop," Gloria pleaded, "You may be invincible, but that doesn't make you funny." She turned to Stefan, "I remember you."
"Yeah. You're Gloria. Shouldn't you be..." Stefan trailed off.
Sakura walked up beside Stefan and Gloria froze.
"Gloria was it?" Sakura smiled.
"Yeah..." Gloria swallowed.
"Sakura," she stated before turning away. Klaus's eyebrow rose, noticing Gloria's odd behaviour.
Gloria composed herself and turned back to Stefan, "Old and dead? Now if I die, who's going to run this place, huh?"
"Gloria's a very powerful witch," Klaus stated.
"I can slow the aging down with some Herbs and spells. But don't worry, it'll catch up to me one day," Gloria sighed.
"Stefan, why don't you go and fix us up a little something from behind the bar," Klaus commanded.
Stefan went behind the bar and Sakura sat at one of the stools. She leant her elbow on the bar and smiled at him. "So, you've been here... With the way Klaus is acting, I assume with him and very bloody," Sakura stated. "Not in a talking mood? Typical," she rolled her eyes, "How bout a drink then?" Stefan pulled out a water bottle and set it in front of her. "Not funny Stefan," she pushed the bottle away.
Stefan smirked, shook his head and turned around. "What is this?" Stefan spotted a picture.
"Well, I told you, Stefan. Chicago's a magical place," Klaus replied after looking over.
"But this is me. With you," Stefan showed him the picture of them, together, in the 20's.
They finally arrived an apartment in Chicago.
"Stefan could live anywhere in Chicago and he chose this?" Elena cringed as she looked at the rundown apartment.
"There used to be an all-girls high school around the corner, but it shut down for attendance issues. Weird," Damon laughed.
"If you're trying to scare me into giving up and going back, it's not going to work," Elena frowned and crossed her arms.
"Shh," Damon hushed her. He broke the lock on the door, "Here we are. Stefan's second personality home."
They enter and look around. "Pretty obvious he hasn't been here," Elena complained, looking at the dusty place.
"I don't think that's his point Elena," Leilani looked at her worriedly.
"Tour is not over yet," Damon walked towards a wall and opened a hidden door, to a place filled with alcohol.
"Stefan hid his alcohol. What a monster," Elena rolled her eyes.
"Look harder," Damon prodded.
Elena looked closer, "It's a list of names."
"Mm-hmm," Damon mumbled.
"Damon... I don't think you should have..." Leilani trailed off when Darien pulled her back slightly, shaking his head at her.
"These are all of his victims?" Elena guessed.
"Still handling it?" Damon asked, looking down at her seriously.
"What were you doing in the 1920s? Paving the way for women's liberation?" Elena asked, knowing he was no saint.
"I was around. Chicago's a big city. Stefan was a cocky ripper douche. But I could avoid him and still indulge in a few Daisy Buchanans of my own," Damon laughed. Elena gave him a disgusted look and he started walking.
"Where are you going?" Elena questioned him.
"His old stomping ground," Damon stated as he walked by Leilani and Darien.
"I'm coming with you," Elena said instantly.
"No. You stay here and whip up an actual plan. I'll come back when I find him," Damon grabbed onto Leilani's wrist and looked at Darien, nodding his head to Elena, before leaving.
"You're not just going to keep me here, right?" Elena questioned him.
"This doesn't make any sense. Why don't I remember you?" Stefan was baffled.
"You said it yourself, that time had a lot of dark holes," Klaus stated.
"No, if you knew me, then why haven't you said anything?" Stefan complained.
Sakura walked up to Stefan and grabbed hold of his face. She looked into his eyes. "Interesting," Sakura said before letting go.
"What?" Stefan frowned down at her.
"Well, I'm a little busy right now. Memory Lane will have to wait," Klaus stated and eyed Sakura.
"What the hell is going on? Answer me," Stefan slammed his fist on the wall.
"Let's just say we didn't get off to a brilliant start. To be honest, I hated you," Klaus stated.
"You knew his sister, Rebekah," Sakura stated.
"How did you know?" Klaus was intrigued.
"Looked into him? Saw a vision? I really don't know what to call it," Sakura laughed.
"Your sister? So I knew another original vampire..." Stefan trailed off.
"If you can't handle it, then don't ask," Klaus scoffed.
"So the originals are all in these coffins?" Sakura asked as she walked by each one, "Interesting."
"Yes dear," Klaus laughed. "This one here, has Rebekah," Klaus opened a coffin.
Stefan glancing in at her, "I don't recognize her."
"Well, don't tell her that. Rebekah's temper is worse than mine," Klaus smiled and pulled the dagger out of her chest, "Time to wake up, little sister. Any day now, Rebekah." Klaus sighed as he waited. He looked up at Stefan, "She's being dramatic."
"Look, why don't you just tell me what the hell is going on? I mean, you obviously want me here for a reason, right?" Stefan frowned. Sakura sighed and walked up beside Stefan and bumped into him.
"Well, you have many useful talents," Klaus answered.
"Do I?" Stefan shook his head and looked at Sakura, who was staring up at him.
"In fact, I learned some of my favorite tricks from you," Klaus smiled, "I was your number one fan. You really knew how to torture people, compel them."
"Why should I believe any of this?" Stefan frowned.
Klaus compelled the guy who handled the transport truck, with the coffins, "When she wakes up, tell her to meet us at Gloria's bar. Then volunteer your carotid artery and let her feed until you die."
"Where are you going?" Stefan asked.
Klaus got up close, "You think I'm lying, Stefan. You and I knew each other. You trusted me with one of your secrets and now I'm going to prove it to you."
"He's not lying," Sakura stated.
"How?" Stefan glanced at Sakura, but kept his glare on Klaus.
"We're going to your old apartment," Klaus smiled.
"You're in for it Stefan," Sakura pat him on the arm hard as she laughed.
"How do you know so much?" Klaus asked her.
"I'm magical, do I need another reason?" Sakura smiled.
Damon and Leilani stopped outside of Gloria's bar. "He used to come here you know," Damon sighed.
"Despite how much you two fight, you seem to know each other quite well. Even when you guys weren't necessarily talking," Leilani commented. He looked down at her with a thoughtful look on his face. "Things will work out," Leilani assured him.
"Let's go," Damon walked in ahead of her.
"Well, look what the wind blew in. Last I heard, you hated this place," Gloria walked up to him.
"Gloria. Damn! If I knew you were going to age like this, I would have stuck around," Damon winked at her.
"I always did like you better. But I see your brother is still running in the wrong crowd," Gloria commented, "Who is this young one?"
"Leilani," she held her hand out to shake.
Gloria took it and smiled at her, "Another magical one. How many are there of you type?"
Damon glanced at Leilani, they both knew who she was talking about, Sakura. "That I know of? Two," Leilani replied.
Damon stepped in front of Leilani slightly, "So, you've seen him?"
"With Klaus. Bad combo. Not sure what to think about with Sakura. There's a big mixture of things going on in there," Gloria replied.
"You know where they went?" Damon continued.
"They'll be back here later tonight. They're out running a little errand for me," she explained.
"Gloria..." Damon touched her hand, "Don't be a tease. What kind of errand?"
She pulled her hand away from his, "I don't think so. You may be cute, but you're still a vampire."
Leilani pulled him off to the side. "She isn't too far from here, but I can't really tell where," Leilani sighed, "I'm sorry, I suck at this."
"No worries," Damon pat her on the shoulder.
"I thought you didn't want to read his diaries?" Darien asked Elena, who was reading Stefan's diary with a worried look on her face. "We have to hide," Darien whispered, "Klaus and Stefan are coming." They can hear the door being kicked in. They hid in the closet together, barely able to fit.
"What a charming little homestead. Do you feel that? Is anybody here?" Klaus asked.
"It's been vacant for decades. People must break in all the time. Why'd you bring me here?" Stefan frowned.
"To breathe in dust," Sakura coughed.
"Your friend, Liam Grant, the one who drank his wife's blood... I never could figure out why you wanted his name. And then you told me your little secret. It was all part of your special little ritual," Klaus smiled.
"To write it down," Stefan cringed.
"And relive the kill... Over and over again," Klaus opened the door to the hidden closet, with Darien and Elena not in direct sight, "You believe me now?"
Stefan entered the closet to look at the list. He turns his head and is surprised to see Elena and Darien. The looked at him, hoping he wouldn't rat them out. "Look what I found," Stefan pulled a bottle out and handed it to Klaus, "1918. Single malt."
"Let's go and find someone to pair it with," Klaus smiled.
Sakura glanced into the closet before Stefan closed it. He turned around and she smiled at him. Sakura winked at him before turning around to follow Klaus.
"She's on the move again," Leilani commented as they got back to Stefan's apartment.
"She was here," Damon breathed in her scent.
They went in to find a frowning Elena, "Finally! I called you an hour ago."
Damon handed her a bag, "Make yourself presentable. I know where Stefan's going to be tonight."
"I told you that we were practically discovered by Klaus and you're worried about what I'm wearing?" Elena freaked out on him.
"I had an hour to realize what a bad idea it was to leave you here, process it, and move on. It's not like you were alone," Damon sighed as he sat down and looked over at her.
"Are you okay?" Leilani asked Elena, seeing that Darien was perfectly fine.
"Yeah," Elena smiled at Leilani.
"Ok, good. Get dressed. You're all road-trippy and gross," Damon stuck his tongue out at her.
"I grabbed something too," Leilani smiled and grabbed hold of Elena's hand.
"So you know where he's going to be?" Elena questioned him.
"Yes, with Klaus. So I'll distract Klaus and you deal with Stefan, and you Sakura," Damon was trusting Leilani with Sakura.
"Ok. Thank you," Elena and Leilani turned to go into another room.
"But you're going to have about five minutes tops before that hybrid freak rips my heart out. So please, tell me you can do this," Damon worried. He would of preferred to deal with Sakura, but someone needed to distract Klaus, and he didn't trust Darien to do that.
"I can do this, we can do this," Elena gripped Leilani's hand tighter.
The three of them were back at Gloria's bar. "Where's Rebekah?" Gloria asked as she handed Klaus and Stefan a beer. "And what do you want honey?" she asked Sakura.
"Just water, don't want to be drunk today," Sakura winked at her.
"Okay," Gloria looked at her confused, but gave her water anyways.
"I never know what you're talking about love," Klaus looked over at Sakura. "I find it strangely alluring," Klaus laughed as he took a sip of his beer. "And Gloria, she'll be here. I can't just conjure her on demand." Klaus turned to Stefan, "What's with you? I thought Chicago was your playground."
"So this is why you asked me to be your wingman? Because you liked the way that I tortured innocent people?" Stefan whined.
"Well, that's certainly half of it," Klaus smiled.
"What's the other half?" Stefan wanted to know, he was tired of all the secrets.
"The other half, Stefan, is that you used to want to be my wingman," Klaus finally answered. Klaus ordered 3 tequila shots, one for each of them. "To friendship," he raised his glass.
"I wasn't going to drink, but what the hell, I'll do it," she raised her glass as well.
"So I'm confused. If we were such great friends, why do I only know you as the hybrid dick who sacrificed my girlfriend on an altar of fire?" Stefan gulped his drink down.
"All good things must come to an end," Klaus sighed.
"You were compelled to forget until he said otherwise," Sakura answered.
"Stealing my answers love?" Klaus ordered another drink, "I don't even know, how you know."
"You compelled me to forget," Stefan was baffled.
"It was time for Rebekah and I to move on. Better to have a clean slate," Klaus explained.
"But why? You shouldn't have to cover your tracks... Unless you're running from someone," Stefan caught on quick.
"Storytime's over," Klaus frowned.
Stefan glanced over Klaus's shoulder to see Damon making a sign. "I need another drink. A real one," Stefan grumbled and went outside. "What is wrong with you?!" Stefan freaked out on Damon.
"What is wrong with you? You and Sakura kill Andie one day, you save my life the next. What are you good, bad? Pick one!" Damon freaked out.
"Klaus almost saw Elena today. You have to get her out of Chicago," Stefan grit his teeth. If she was found, it was all for nothing.
"She's not going anywhere until she's got you checked into vampire rehab and on the mend. Trust me. I've tried," Damon sighed.
"She is the key to everything. Klaus can't know that she's alive," Stefan argued.
"What are you talking about?" Damon questioned him.
"She was supposed to die in the sacrifice and she didn't. Now Klaus can't create any new hybrids. His witch is seconds away from figuring that out. Tell Elena to go home and forget about me," Stefan explained.
"I totally need popcorn for this," Sakura sighed as she watched them bicker.
"Sakura..." Damon gasped. He reached his hand up, as if to reach for her and Leilani pulled him back. "You know what Stefan, tell her yourself," Damon walked into the bar, passed Sakura, remembering the plan. Leilani was supposed to distract her.
"Hmm, what are you guys up to?" Sakura asked Leilani. "How boring," Sakura replied when she didn't respond. "I think I'll watch in there, seems like it will be more interesting," Sakura got up and opened the door. Leilani grabbed onto Sakura's wrist. "Are you going to stop me?" Sakura smiled at her. "I don't feel like playing with you right now, sorry," she lifted her hand and blasted Leilani away.
"I see they've opened the doors to the riff raff now," Sakura heard Klaus say to Damon before she went in.
"Oh, honey, I've been called worse," Damon smirked.
"You don't give up, do you?" Klaus rolled his eyes.
"Give me my brother back... You'll never have to see me again," Damon promised.
"Well, I am torn. You see, I promised Stefan I wouldn't let you die, but how many freebies did I really sign up for? And clearly you want to die, otherwise you wouldn't be here, so..." Klaus stood up, ready to attack.
"What can I say? I'm a thrill seeker," Damon shrugged before Klaus started to strangle him.
Klaus pulled out a toothpick and started to stab him, "Oh, dear, what was that? I'm a little boozey, so you'll forgive me if I miss your heart the first few tries."
Suddenly, Klaus was sent flying backwards. Damon looked at him, wide eyed, as he hit the back wall. He turned to see Sakura, who wasn't looking at him. "What the hell was that?" Klaus yelled.
"It wasn't me, I swear," Sakura held her hands up in defence.
"Really? Well if it wasn't you love, who was it?" Klaus grumbled as he got up.
"Well this body did it, but it wasn't me," Sakura bit her lip as she hoped he understood.
Damon stood up, staring at Sakura in wonder. He turned back to Klaus, "You want a partner in crime? Forget Stefan. I'm so much more fun, just ask Sakura."
"You won't be any fun after you're dead," Klaus pulled out a stake, which burned up instantly.
"Not in my bar. You take it outside," Gloria commanded.
"Really?" Klaus complained.
"You don't have to negotiate your brother's freedom. When I'm done with him, he won't want to go back," Klaus smiled at him. That wasn't the only reason though.
"You might want to go, lover boy. Leilani's outside and not doing too well," Sakura warned him.
"That so," Damon frowned as he looked from Klaus to her. "Fine," Damon was instantly in front of Sakura. "I know you're still in there," Damon pulled Sakura into a kiss, before disappearing.
"Well, he still sweet on you," Klaus commented.
"Not me, her," Sakura rolled her eyes.
"I thought she was completely gone," Klaus glared at her.
"She's strong, but I'm in control," Sakura assured him.
"Are you sure about that?" Klaus walked up to her.
"Leilani?" Damon walked up to her. She was leaning against the wall in pain. "Here," Damon bit his wrist and fed her his blood. He picked her up and walked to his car. He laid her down in the back.
"She okay?" Elena frowned, obviously in a really bad mood. Things didn't go her way with Stefan.
"She will be," Damon sighed.
"You can come in," Klaus called to them.
Stefan walked in, followed by Sakura.
"Stefan..." Rebekah trailed off, "And..."
"Just call me Sakura," she smiled slyly.
"Don't scare her love," Klaus warned Sakura. Klaus stood in front of Stefan to compel him, "Now you remember."
Stefan looked at both of them, wide eyed, "I remember you. We were friends."
"We are friends," Klaus corrected him. Klaus turned to his sister, "And now the reason you're here. Gloria tells me you know how to contact the original witch."
"The original witch," Rebekah frowned.
"What do you have that Gloria needs?" Klaus asked sternly.
Rebekah touched her neck, "Where's my necklace? What did you do with it? I never take it off!"
"I don't know. I didn't touch it," Klaus rolled his eyes.
"We need to find it, Nik. Now, I want it back!" she demanded.
"Tell me that's not what she needs, Rebekah!" Klaus started to freak out.
Sakura smiled up at Stefan. He knew exactly why she was smiling at him, and hoped she wouldn't say anything. She hadn't put the others at a real risk yet. But you never know.
Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed!
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I've started on my second book! Also a flash fiction blog.
